New markings for "Doc" B-29

[JohnB]

Perhaps this is old news and I'm the last to find out, but Doc has some new markings...postwar USAF. A bit of extra color looks great.
There is an ADC (Air Defense Command for you youngsters) patch on the forward fuselage. Perhaps they used B-29s in electronic work.

Their Facebook page posted this a couple of weeks ago...and I haven't Sen an Air Classics lately, so I don't know how much it has been promoted.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 3077529428

[Duggy009]

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Nathan Langston)

[quemerford]

This is Doc's final target tug scheme, though obviously it now lacks the aft fuselage tow gear fairings. IIRC the aircraft was assigned to an Air Defence Wing for target towing operations, hence the ADC badge.

[JohnTerrell]

It's missing the several red stripes that were also originally applied to its wings and horizontal stabilizers. Unfortunately, the "Doc's Friends" Facebook account keeps falsely claiming the red stripes were added when it was used as a radar calibration ship, where in-fact they were added later/after that point in its service - there were a number of other China Lake B-29s that had the exact same red stripes added, that were not used for radar calibration, but had been used as target tugs like 'Doc'.

[quemerford]

Sweet.

Last edited by quemerford on Fri Apr 25, 2025 11:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnB]

Nice flag on the tail. The prop warning stripe on the fuselage, I think that's new as well.

[quemerford]

Looks nice.

Last edited by quemerford on Fri Apr 25, 2025 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[quemerford]

Lovely colours too.

Last edited by quemerford on Fri Apr 25, 2025 11:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Hooligan2]

Looks great! Come a long way since my only sighting of her, being dismantled at Inyokern in 1999!

[JohnB]

I've never seen the white (anti-heat) tops quite like that before.
I like it, I'd like to see more warbirds in post war markings.

[p51]

My late Dad got to play around with B-29s in USAF technical school in the 50s, at Rantoul, IL.
He'd have like this, I think

[APG85]

I've noticed in recent pictures that the nose landing gear doors are removed. Wonder why...?

[JohnTerrell]

The nose gear doors were temporarily removed, just within the past week or so, so that the nose gear door locking mechanism could be repaired (according to the B-29 Doc FB page).

[JohnB]

So, flying it without gear doors?
Any speed or operational limitations?

Must be noisy, too.